Special days
An American calendar book reveals the United States has 42 special “days” that are worthy of celebration by various segments of the population during any given year. This provides ample opportunity for those looking for an excuse for a party.
Actually, the book lists Orthodox Easter but misses Orthodox Christmas and New Year’s so there could be 44 special occasions. If you add birthdays, anniversaries and hog slaughter this could be stretched considerably.
The holiday that some urban Canadian folks call the August bank holiday is referred to in this U.S. booklet as Friendship Day. They have Mother’s Day and Father’s Day as we do and then they add on Grandparents’ Day (Sept. 14) and Mother-in-Law’s Day (Oct. 26).
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I guess this latter must be an apology for all those mother-in-law jokes. I see no reference to any marching bands or balloon displays for a father-in-law’s day.
One listing that really has me puzzled is Sweetest Day on Oct. 18. Does this refer to how one should dispose one’s temper on this day or is it merely a promotion for sticky chewables?
Secretaries Day (April 23) has been observed in Canada as well for many years but the Americans also have National Boss’s Day (Oct. 17). Secretaries Day is on a Wednesday and usually involves lunch. The boss is to be saluted on a Friday and that leaves you with a weekend to recover, if necessary.
Most of these special days are not statutory holidays, fortunately, or we might have to adopt the suggestion of a former business manager who once said:
“I’d like to see declared a special day when everyone would put in a full day’s work.”
